Don't Call Me
by youaretrulybrilliant
Summary: Post 4x18 Four linked one-shots: Klaus takes his new found relationship of friend with his favorite baby blonde vampire very seriously. After all it's just one step closer to making Caroline his.
1. Chapter 1

It was strange, the emotion settling in his heart. He couldn't exactly remember when he had last felt so, or if he ever had.

_Friend_

Klaus mulled the word over in his mind. A soft snort escaped his lips, electing to sit down in the chair and stare into the fire. The whole house was perfumed with Caroline's smell. The towel resting on the arm of the leather seat was the strongest source of the smell. He picked it up and breathed in the heavenly scent.

_Caroline_

Her name meant song of happiness or joy and that's what she had always been for him. Today his song had been a prayer and she answered it. For once they both had walked away happy. The last time they had done that was the day he escorted her around the Miss Mystic Falls pageant and even then it had her acting under false pretenses. Klaus rested his head against the back of the chair. Yes, it was worth the smile on her pink lips to tell her about Tyler.

What he didn't tell her was he already knew the exact location of the Lockwood boy and had a wolf keeping tabs on him. His words to Hayley had been true. It was much more entertaining to watch Tyler suffer than actually kill him.

Caroline's words about why he kept fixating on Tyler still rang in his head. While most had tried to kill him and he had not forgotten that fact, Tyler was always going to be the worst. He was trying to assert his dominance but Klaus was the only alpha. He wanted Caroline and that was the true reason Klaus forced Tyler out. A simple elimination, welcome to the wolf world.

Now he was slowly getting Caroline. If he had to relinquish a bit of his secret about Tyler's true punishment so be it. The hand had played in his favor, Caroline's small graceful smile proof of his victory. The image of her smile led him back to the emotion coursing through his body.

_Friend_

He and Stefan had been friends in the 1920s. Marcel was a friend of sorts in the 1700s but that was more of a master and apprentice relationship. But to have a real friendship with Caroline was thrilling. Indentifying his emotions, Klaus let his eyes drift shut, finding himself surprisingly content for the moment. The day's events had all been a product of Silas.

Silas-the painful reminder that there was another immortal out there with powers he still did not know the extent of. Klaus felt his cheeks tightened as he locked his jaw. The contentment was gone, eyes snapping open and pulling out his phone. Scrolling through his contacts his thumb stayed over Caroline's number a moment. He breathed in deeply recalling her direct request not to bother her.

A sly grin broke over his face, she said not to call. She never said no to anything else. What he had to say was more of concern anyway than some request about not bothering her. Tapping open a new message Klaus found himself pleasantly enjoying having the ability to openly have the chance to talk with Caroline.

**You need to have a word that can be used in case Silas appears again. I need to know it's you. **

His phone buzzed almost immediately.

**I said not to bother me. Do you realize the amount of work it takes to plan a prom? **

Klaus smirked at the abrupt message. He ran a hand across his chin, rubbing his stubble. There was no doubt with Caroline at the head of this dance; it would be nothing short of spectacular. He mind drifted to Caroline in another dress, an elegant blue dress. She had been the image of grace. Klaus pondered what she was going to wear this time. As his mind spun a fantasy of Caroline in another dress, he remembered the text message he was supposed to be responding too.

He looked back down at the phone, quickly typing out a reply with a devil's grin.

**You said not to call. I am simply abiding by those wishes. **

His phone was resting in his lap, giving him time to return to a new idea rapidly spinning around in his head. If Caroline was going to be at this prom, however trivial of a human notion it was he wanted her to be so high above the others there that they would be groveling at her feet. The soft vibration on his leg indicated a new message.

**But Silas can get in our minds. Wouldn't he be able to see any defense we attempted to have? Besides having a secret word like we're some secret brotherhood out of the Da Vinci Code is just weird. **

Klaus rolled his eyes at the cultural reference and muttered, "That's my girl," to no one in particular.

She bypassed his jab completely diving straight into the heart of the matter. Clever and thinking on her feet Caroline and her brilliant mind was one of her greatest assets. One the things Klaus found himself enjoying so much about her.

The phone buzzed again, his eyebrows shooting up in surprise.

**Sorry I'm just annoyed with these girls. They can't do anything correctly unless I spell it for them and out their hands. **

Klaus didn't let the snort be held back this time. Caroline was just too entertaining.

**I could always have one disappear mysteriously. I am rather thirsty. **

Klaus wasn't sure if he meant as a joke or if he was serious. The desire to keep up having his lap buzz with a new message from Caroline was all he wanted. She didn't disappoint.

**You are not eating any of my committee members! There is too much to do! **

Klaus smiled, the message was written in all caps the virtual indication of Caroline yelling at him. His fingers flew over the screen of his phone to type out a reply and quickly hit send. It was addicting the high of each new message that popped onto his phone.

Caroline kept going on and on about prom details, Klaus finding himself throwing in bits and pieces of advice he had learned about handling Rebekah and her party planning over the years. Was it absolutely below him to be going back and forth about a high school dance? It most certainly was.

However having Caroline to talk him?-worth every moment of having her complain about something not going right. Klaus paused in reading the most recent message, Caroline suddenly telling him she had to go before Miranda lit the table runners on fire, whoever that was.

It was dark outside, the moon high in the night sky indicating it had to have been sometime that he and Caroline had been texting. Klaus cocked his head, never had time gone to so fast for him before and he understood the passage of time.

A soft click of the door behind him indicated someone was coming into the house. Klaus could hear the echoing click of boots and the strong but silent pressure of another set of shoes walking towards. He breathed in deeply, Rebekah and Elijah's scent drifting from the entry hall towards him. Klaus stuffed the phone in his pocket hastily, schooling his face into a more somber expression.

Rebekah frowned at him the minute she stepped into the room, seeing straight through her elder brother's mask.

"What's got you so excited?" she scoffed at him.

It was clear she still wasn't over his daggering of her. Klaus didn't feel guilty about it in the slightest. He stepped up lightly, twinkling his eyes as Elijah came into the room behind her.

"Can't I be excited to see at long last my big brother come to our family home?" he asked the mirth clearly across his features.

Rebekah rolled her eyes at him as she plopped down into the chair Klaus had just been occupying. Elijah's stern brow clearly showed he had no desire for any of Klaus' attitude. Klaus ignored him, diving straight into the matter.

"Now, the cure 'lijah. Shall we settle what to do on the matter?" Klaus inquired gesturing towards another chair for Elijah.

All light attitudes evaporated from the room. Three Mikaelson siblings suddenly sitting round each other with cold faces to mask the emotions. Klaus felt the twinge of fear that he felt earlier in the day as he was forced to his knees in pain. Silas was going to be dealt with.

As they sat there discussing what they should do, it rang in the back of Klaus' mind that he and Caroline had never settled their problem either. They still didn't have something that she could say to him or he to her to know it was truly them.

He gripped his knee in a painful hold, digging into the dark denim in frustration. As quickly as the wave of anger came it left, a small smirk turning at the corner of his lips. It just meant that he had an excuse to talk to Caroline again. He wasn't going to let this go, not until he knew there was some way to keep her safe.


	2. Chapter 2

Bonnie grabbed the zipper on the side of Caroline's dress and pulled it up.

"I'm having some weird dreams."

Caroline adjusted the zipper before walking out of the dressing room. She was only half listening to what Bonnie was saying. She wanted to see how the dress fit now that the adjustments had been made.

Caroline stepped onto the platform so she could fully see herself in the mirror, "What kind of dreams?"

She picked at the top of the dress adjusting it, Bonnie sighed heavily behind her.

"Usually I'm at his grave and all of sudden he appears to me."

Caroline tried to suppress the urge to turn around and hug her. It seemed like that was all she did now. Bonnie was constantly trying to figure things out and the number of hugs Caroline had given out in the past couple days had been high even for her.

"Well you never got to say goodbye, Bon. You're grieving, that's normal," she tried to reassure her friend.

Bonnie quickly looked around to the room to ensure no one was in ear shot.

"When I woke up the couch was on fire." Her friend informed her in a low voice, teeth clenched.

Caroline's eyebrows shoot up, "Oh."

This time she really did turn around to focus all her attention on Bonnie. If things were really that bad with her, maybe she should ask Stefan or Matt to hang out at Bonnie's so she could get some sleep at night. There was no need to have another house mysteriously burn down, Elena's house already called enough attention as it was.

Bonnie's face softened, her lip rolling over her teeth for a moment in uncertainty. "I don't know if it was 'cause I was emotional in the dream or if Shane was right. Without his help I'll lose control of my magic."

Caroline counted to ten in her head to not let herself get upset at Bonnie. She knew Bonnie could control her magic. She had killed twelve witches to make sure that she could. Bonnie just didn't know that yet.

Caroline tilted her head firmly. "No, it's because you need a night off of mourning and I'm going make sure you have it."

She was not going to let all this supernatural chaos around her get her down. Prom was going to be the best night of their lives. She needed it. Bonnie needed it. Who was she kidding, they all needed it.

Bonnie eyed Caroline up and down taking in the silky folds of the magenta dress. "Um, you look super hot by the way."

It seemed that was all Bonnie was going to say on the subject. Caroline grinned, "You think?"

She turned back to the mirror, smoothing over the folds of her dress. Caroline couldn't help but let her excitement bubble up. She wanted the night to be perfect so much and this dress? It was perfect. It made her feel like prom queen.

Bonnie gave her a saucy smile, "Oh, yeah."

Caroline grinned brightly feeling it, "Yeah."

"Matt and I are going to have the sexiest date there," was Bonnie's confident reply.

Caroline couldn't but help giggle at that statement. Who would have thought that that the three of them were going to be at the dance together, as each other's dates. It was almost homage to all the times that they were little kids and they did everything together. Back when nothing ever went wrong and the greatest supernatural thing they had to worry about was the freak snow storm every now and again.

"You know what, I love friend prom and it's exactly what prom should be. Friends and memories—yes, it sucks that my boyfriend can't be here but the three of us are going to have the night of our lives."

Bonnie smiled at her and Caroline but couldn't help but smile back but this time the smile didn't quite reach her eyes like it had been.

Boyfriend…Tyler… which meant the inevitable topic of Klaus and what that hybrid was doing to her. They had been texting back and forth for almost a whole week now about everything and anything. Somehow it always started under the topic of them needing to figure out a code word for Silas.

Funny how each day they failed to come up with an answer. Caroline would be lying if she said she was trying hard to find an answer. Texting Klaus had become one of her favorite activities. A twinge of pink shifted over Caroline's pale skin at the thought.

Her train of thought was broken by the tinkling of the bell hanging over the door of the shop. Caroline and Bonnie both looked up to see Elena walk in with Rebekah of all people. Her face fell flat in an instant.

"Hey Bonnie, heard you got your mind wiped-that sucks," was Elena's cold greeting.

Bonnie and Caroline both stared at Elena. Caroline was fighting the urge to pull out her fangs and tear into Elena's neck.

Elena pivoted on her heel, giving Caroline the once over. Caroline narrowed her eyes as her once friend's eyes gleamed a little too brightly.

"Pretty dress, Caroline," Elena commented the tone of condescension almost faint enough to miss but still there.

Caroline clenched her teeth, "I know you helped me pick it out months ago when we were friends before you tried to kill me."

Her smile was plastered on her face to keep herself from clawing out the brunette's eyes. Stefan said never to give up hope on Elena but she was making very easy to do so.

Elena clicked her teeth with her tongue, "Thought it looked familiar."

To cover her eye roll Caroline turned to the sales lady, "Can you press this for me? I'll pick it up later."

Caroline waited until she saw the nod of affirmation from the woman and turned to Bonnie.

"Bonnie," Caroline said in a high clipped voice.

Bonnie gave one last glare before following Caroline into the dressing room. Caroline was already furiously trying to pull at the zipper just under her arm and Bonnie grabbed at it.

"Stop it Care, you are going to rip the dress," Bonnie chided.

Caroline relented and let Bonnie pull at the dress, stepping out the minute the zipper was free. She was furious; all she had done since all this crap started was be the best friend she could be. All the thanks she got for her trouble was to be all almost staked by Elena and even poor Bonnie couldn't remember the lengths that she had gone too to save her.

She busied herself about stuffing the dress back into the bag and handing it to the sales lady on her way out. Caroline failed to notice the small sad frown directed her way from Rebekah who hadn't said a word the whole time. Caroline didn't care she was too hurt and too upset. Bonnie was left scrambling after her, not wanting to spend another minute in the store either, with her navy dress in tow.

"Care, wait up!" Bonnie yelled out.

Caroline skidded to a stop and stood still not because Bonnie called out at her but because her back pocket was buzzing like mad. A welcome flood of relief washed over her and she fished the phone out of her pocket unknowing of the smile that broke across her face as she tapped on the new message.

**Shall we try this again? You owe me a code word. **

Caroline bit her lip trying to think what to say. Suddenly all the troubles of Elena in the dress shop were a distant bad memory.

"Come on Caroline, let's just go home."

Caroline jumped, so engrossed in the text that she failed to realize Bonnie was behind her. Stuffing the phone in her purse before Bonnie could realize who it was she was texting she nodded and hurriedly got into Bonnie's car.

She tried to focus on what Bonnie was talking about on the long drive home, they were a whole county away from home, but her eyes kept drifting back to her phone sitting in her purse. When Bonnie finally stopped and turned the radio up Caroline dove for the phone and yanked it out. All the while trying to look subtle about it and she was pretty sure she failed.

**We already decided using a city of any sort is stupid and I'm not sure I can work a foreign language into a sentence easily. What about food?**

The phone buzzed back almost immediately.

**We only require blood, that isn't much to work with.**

Caroline rolled her eyes before a tiny grin quirked at the corner of her mouth.

**Human food, duh.**

She gazed out the window, watching the passing of trees along the county road waiting for Klaus to text back. It was funny how everything had changed. She never imagined herself texting Klaus about anything other than getting him to let Tyler go and here she was talking to him as if they had always had been.

It had further shocked her at how easy it actually was to talk to him. She had already learned that Klaus spoke over forty-seven different languages, hated living in northern Russia, loved living in Spain, and the only country he hadn't lived in was Pakistan. She had forked quite a bit of information about herself as well and was nice to talk about something other than prom or Elena, which is all anyone else, did.

"What's got you all smiley?"

"Mmh?"

Caroline turned from her reverie to Bonnie who had a sly look on her face. For some odd reason Caroline could feel red heat traveling across her cheeks and face. Bonnie gasped.

"Omgosh Caroline, you serious?"

Caroline stiffened. She didn't know that Bonnie's new powers extended to mind reading. The blush on her face doubled spreading down her neck and coloring her ears. Caroline felt her palms become clammy and she gripped the phone tightly. Opening her mouth to defend herself, Bonnie cut her off immediately.

"You only have the smile when you talk to Tyler! You found him! I can't believe that you didn't tell me."

Caroline snapped her mouth shut with an audible pop. She was confused, she smiled a certain way? Wait, what?

Bonnie was excitedly prattling on, her foot pressing harder on the gas as she did. Caroline could hear the shift in the engine, one of the perks of being supernatural.

"Wait, what about Klaus? He doesn't know yet does he? I mean he's going to kill him now isn't he?"

Caroline finally snapped out of her dazed confusion at the sound of Klaus' name. "Bon calm down. It's not Tyler. I haven't found Tyler, I doubt I ever will. He gave the deed of the house to Matt, remember?"

Bonnie glanced sideways at her, trying to keep her eyes on the road. "Then who were you texting?"

Caroline balked, and hurriedly looked away back to the trees outside. All of a sudden Caroline lurched forward as Bonnie slammed on the breaks, pulling the car to the side of the road.

"Bonnie, what the hell are you doing?" Caroline screeched bracing against her seat, hands out to protect herself.

Caroline gasped as her heart pounded in her chest wildly, staring wide-eyed at Bonnie. She gasped as Bonnie's eyes went milky white; just like they were the night she killed the coven of witches. Caroline fumbled behind her for the lock but found it wouldn't budge even when she used all her strength.

"Bonnie, you're scaring me!" Caroline cried.

Instantly Bonnie's eyes returned to normal and Caroline breathed a sigh of relief. Bonnie's hand went up to her head holding it for a minute before shaking herself. Caroline let go a breath she didn't realize she was holding.

Bonnie turned back to Caroline with a surprised frown. "Hey, what's up? Did I black out or something?"

"Something like that." Caroline let out as she adjusted back into the seat. She was going to need to talk to Stefan. Bonnie didn't have a hold on her magic like Caroline thought she did. It was clearly linked to her emotions.

Bonnie started the car back up and Caroline pulled back out her phone, careful not to smile. Glancing at Bonnie it seemed that her friend had forgotten all about the incident. Another sigh escaped her lips; Caroline did not want to explain why she was texting Klaus.

Honestly she didn't know why herself. She just knew that she liked doing it. A little voice in the bottom of her heart told her exactly why she was texting Klaus but she elected to ignore it. She shifted her mind back to Tyler and tried to imagine what it would be like at them at prom if he was there.

Every time she did it would be Tyler spinning her round but after a few turns around the dance floor the smooth dark of Tyler's skin paled, his face turning into an older one, a face with fierce blue eyes and permanent gold stubble.

Caroline shook her head and stuffed the phone in her pocket. She'd talk to Klaus later when she could think straight. Tyler was her boyfriend, Klaus was just a friend. Isn't what they decided?

A sinking weight settled into her stomach. A nasty little voice whispered that she didn't want to be just friends with Klaus. Caroline dug her hands into her skin painfully to keep the voice at bay.

What was happening to her?

* * *

_Thank you for the lovely response to the story! I don't email all you reviewers individually but I've been thrilled to read every one! It makes me smile so much, you guys are incredibly kind. _


	3. Chapter 3

The telephone rang breaking Klaus' concentration from the long strokes his hand was making across the half painted canvas. Since Elijah's return Klaus found it easier to paint again, it dulled the ache of Kol's loss. Klaus set the brush down on the easel and wiped his hands on the dirty terry cloth.

He peered down to notice that it wasn't Caroline was calling like he hoped but Rebekah. A shot of victory raced across his body. Klaus grabbed the phone.

"And how is my little spy doing today?" was his arrogant greeting.

"Oh shut up, Nik. I don't have time for your annoying games," Rebekah shot back.

Klaus could clearly hear her rummaging through some sort of material on the end and the distant giggles of other people further in the background.

Rebekah shifted the phone from one ear to the other the rustle of hands scratching in Klaus' ear. He let a low growl into the phone.

"Listen I haven't got much time, just don't be surprised if Caroline calls you any minute. Just let her into the house and pick out one of my dresses in the closest. I have no doubt she'll inform you of everything."

Klaus cocked an eyebrow, "Will she now?"

He could almost hear the roll of Rebekah's eyes as she huffed into the phone. "Don't be an idiot Nik, you-"

The shrill beeping in Klaus' ear indicated a call trying to beep in. Klaus pulled out the phone to see Caroline's name blaring across the screen. Smirking he put the phone back up to his ear, "It seems that's her right now."

"Fine." Rebekah snorted and clicked off without further explanation.

Klaus' smirk still wide across his face picked tapped on the new line. "Caroline, what can I do for you?"

"Are you home?" was the short clipped reply.

"Yes, what does that have to do with anything?" he questioned.

"Oh trust me, I'll explain. I'm coming over. I'll be there in five minutes."

The line was dead before Klaus could respond. That twice in five minutes he had been hung up on, he tried to ignore the tick of irritation.

Five minutes, that meant he had to hurry. Blurring upstairs he grabbed the ivory gown out of the back of his closet, shucked off the dress bag, and flashed to Rebekah's old room. Stuffing the dress among the myriad of other ball gowns his little sister left it seemed it had always been there. Now he just had to ensure that Caroline picked the right one.

After Caroline helped him break Silas' control, the image of Caroline spinning around in another elegant dress of his choosing had been too much of a temptation. So when he and Rebekah were out a couple days later and he spotted the champagne and ivory dress from a window in a small boutique while Rebekah chatted on about trying to live like a human for day, he knew that he wanted Caroline to wear it.

If Caroline was going to delude herself by attending a useless school dance that meant nothing she was going to look like the queen she was meant to be. Assuming Rebekah didn't ruin it, Caroline would never know the dress had been from him. Why she needed a dress still he didn't know. It was unlike Caroline to leave something this important to her for the last minute.

"Klaus!" Caroline's voice rang out through the house.

Klaus blurred downstairs just as Caroline walked into his study. She spun around from his recently abandoned easel, her whole countenance blazing in the Forbes' fury. He leaned up against the doorframe and crossed his arms, the familiar sight of her wrath instantly amusing him.

"I'm going to kill her! I swear to-"

Caroline was pacing the room lost in her ranting. Klaus couldn't help the twinkle in his eye as she paced back and forth, blonde hair flying out violently with each abrupt turn of her body.

"I had everything planned, down to a tea. I mean this prom is going to be one of my best parties I have ever done. But could she be happy with that, no!" Caroline waved her hands about dramatically.

"No, she had to go and waltz off with my dress from the shop after I paid for it and everything. Seriously! Then I called her and all she had to say was that it matched her curls and her old dress would clash with her new hairdo."

He was really doing his best not to laugh at Caroline's antics but the way her body twisted and turned, face glowing in righteous anger all over a dress for a dance that she would eventually forget in the span of her long lifetime was just too much. A short snort of laughter fell from his mouth, the sound causing Caroline to stop mid-step and spin at him.

"Are you kidding me? You're laughing at me!" she shouted, "This is important Klaus! I can't go if I don't have a dress to wear."

Caroline's arm arched back and suddenly Klaus realized she had thrown something at him. Neatly grabbing his hand out, Klaus caught Caroline's phone and flipped over in his hand. Caroline scoffed, throwing herself down into a vacant overstuffed chair.

Klaus tried to glare at her. If it had been anyone else who threw something at him, he would have snapped their neck already but Klaus found he was only half-heartedly upset. She was sitting in his usual chair; arms crossed her front like a spoiled child. The crease of her furrowed brow created lines across her forehead and her lips turned down in frown.

A slight tick of annoyance started to build up. He did not want her to come over and just vent whenever she felt like-that wasn't what he wanted. Klaus mulled over Caroline's words and throwing in Rebekah's vague explanation tried to piece together what happened.

"I can assume this has to do with Elena?" he finally asked, crossing the room back to his canvas.

Klaus picked up the brush and began painting again, trying to show a disinterested appearance. Why should Caroline's problems with Elena bother him? He was not Stefan who sat down and patted her hand whenever something didn't go her way.

"You think?" Caroline huffed out.

Klaus let out a side smile, keeping eyes on the brush in his hand. He waited patiently for Caroline to elaborate because she would, that's who she was. Though he wasn't Stefan, he wanted her to keep talking to him, but he'd never admit that out loud.

The room drifted into silence. The only sounds the scratch of his brush across the canvas and the ticking of the clock in the hall filling the void. After he heard the shuffle of Caroline's boots shifting from one position to another did he dare turn back round, curious as to why she hadn't spoken yet. He didn't expect Caroline to behind him watching him paint.

It startled him to realize he had been calm enough to not hear her movements across the floor. He did not like people that close without him knowing. Klaus glowered and she stepped back a foot with a heavy sigh.

"Elena stole my prom dress from the shop in Richmond. Prom is tomorrow and I have nothing to wear. Combine that with Bonnie's magic wigging out all over the place, no Tyler, and just the usual prom stress I'm a wreck. How am I supposed to show up with no dress?"

Klaus ignored the Tyler comment, the flare of anger at the mention of the younger boy instantaneous. He returned to his painting, aiming for the disinterested look once more.

"Why should that have anything to do with me?"

Caroline mumbled, "Nothing. I just needed someone to talk to and you were the only person I-"

Her words dropped off with a sharp squeak. Klaus caught out of the corner of his eye Caroline suddenly become intensely interested with a loose hem on her shirt.

"Rebekah called to inform me you would be in need of a dress." He told her with shrug of his shoulders after Caroline refused to say anything more.

Her head snapped up. "Why didn't you just say that in the first place?" she bit out.

Klaus shrugged. Caroline rolled her eyes. He hadn't said anything because it was much more enjoyable to have her talk to him. He wasn't concerned that it caused her a bit of discomfort; she was going to be walking away from the house with a dress far better than whatever one she had previously picked out.

Caroline's eyes narrowed to slits, "Wait, your sister was there, with Elena. She just stood by and let Elena walk off with my dress and then she felt bad so she called you? I don't believe this."

Klaus growled, blurring straight in front of Caroline. Caroline for her part didn't step back of flinch at him zooming into her personal space. He might be upset with his younger sister but she was still his sister. The air tensed with their anger.

"She's keeping Elena close. She was doing what she was told."

Caroline rolled her eyes. "Yes, because stealing prom dresses is something you like going around and doing. What do you do, wear them when no one is looking?"

"She's tracking her movements."

Caroline's blanked for a second before turning into an exasperated frown. "That's why she moved in with her? To keep an eye on Elena? Klaus, you are taking this stalker thing to a whole new level."

"Don't be naive Caroline; it is nothing of the sort. Rebekah is ensuring that Elena forgets all about the cure because she doesn't want her to find it."

Caroline stared at him for moment, hands raised but suddenly stopping as her mouth hung open for a moment. Klaus watched as her as her mind worked through what he told her. The puzzle pieces fitting into shape with his cryptic words. He tried not to grin the moment her countenance lightened in clarity.

"Wait, the only reason Rebekah would do that is if Elena knew where the cure was. But since I know Elena doesn't care about it that must mean Rebekah knows where the cure is…or somehow she got the real thing from Katherine after all."

Klaus cocked his head, clasping his hands behind his back. It truly was something else to watch her mind make connections when it took the others she called her friends much longer to draw connections, even Stefan. Caroline turned her head slightly.

"You have the cure don't you! Or at least know where it is? No wonder you have such a smug grin."

Klaus laughed outright at that.

"Perhaps," he answered ambiguously.

All woes forgotten about the dress, Caroline stepped closer, excitement written across her face. "What are you planning to do with it? Where is it?"

Klaus pursed his lips and Caroline fell silent with an annoyed huff.

"We both know how dangerous Silas is, even if the others do not realize to what extent. I cannot let him live."

Caroline stiffened at those words and Klaus could clearly see her remembering their last encounter with Silas. His own back winched in phantom pain. The memory of false splinters digging into him had been stronger than the whole of the fifty-two years he had suffered from the hunter's curse.

Klaus watched her deflate. "Come on, I'll take you to Rebekah's room. She said you may pick out one of her dresses. She has many for you to choose from."

Her somber frown disappeared and she bounded out of the seat and followed Klaus upstairs. Opening the door to Rebekah's room he gestured to the closet.

"All her dresses are in there. I'm certain you'll find one that appeals to you," he smiled.

Caroline nodded brightly before disappearing into the sea of dresses. Klaus turned back and returned to the study. Rebekah was a size bigger than Caroline; with the eleventh hour that they were in Caroline would be forced to take the dress he picked. There would be no time for adjustments to be made to any of the other dresses.

His lips turned up in a devil's grin more than pleased that his plan was working. Picking up his brush once more, he found his hand being drawn to the yellow hues on his pallet.

"Klaus?"

A soft voice broke him from painting the warm colors across the top of the almost finished painting.

Klaus turned; Caroline was standing in the entryway of the study. That was twice in one day that he had been lost in his work and he had not heard Caroline approach. Caroline had in her arms the ivory dress, the pearls and handcrafted beaded work could be seen midst the tulle and satin.

"Found a dress then?" he casually asked.

Caroline bit her lip and nodded her head. "Tell Rebekah thank-you. I tried on a bunch but this one kept calling to me."

Klaus nodded nonchalantly but his ego was soaring. "I'm certain no one will hold a candle to you."

That garnered an eye roll. "Whatever, I have to go. I need to make sure the food order is still on track."

"Alright, only on two conditions."

Caroline groaned, "What?"

"If Rebekah gets to give you something, then I might I allow myself to give you something as well?" he queried.

There was a faint pink blooming across her cheeks as Klaus waited for her answer. He felt himself so close to victory that he could almost taste it.

"No."

He should have expected that. His fist clenched in annoyance but he let it go after a minute of controlled breathing.

"Fine."

After all she was still going to be wearing his dress. For a brief moment he wished he could see her in it but he had no desire to attend the high school dance.

"What's your other request?" she impatiently asked.

"Code word?"

It was back to their little game. He wondered if he was the only one who was playing it. Each day their texts failed to answer the vital question but instead yielded more information about each of them to the other. He found himself purposefully stalling and he suspected she was too but he couldn't be certain, not with her.

Caroline rolled her eyes. "Ask me after prom. I don't have time to think about that right now."

If it weren't for the twinkle in her eye, Klaus would have thought she was serious. He met her eyes in a heated gaze, the faint blush that dusted her cheeks darkening and spreading.

"Caroline you'll have to give me an answer eventually. You know better than anyone how dangerous Silas is."

He almost missed the coy smirk and flutter of her eyes, it created a strange pounding in his heart. Klaus stepped closer to her.

"Oh, I'll think of something."

He smiled, he liked their little game. Caroline was out the door without another word. It was only after she left that he realized he still had her phone in his pocket. It seemed he had a reason to visit Caroline sooner than she expected. Klaus grabbed his jacket and raced after her. What kind of friend would he be if he didn't return her phone?

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_As always thank you for the reviews. I am glad you are enjoying this. _


	4. Chapter 4

Caroline tried not to frown and glare at everything as she walked around the store in her prom dress. She tried not to growl at the sounds of crickets as she pulled the party supplies out of her car and put them in the former Lockwood manor. She really did try not to, but by the time she reached home after setting up the after party to grab her second dress to change into, Caroline's face was set in a permanent frown.

Prom had sucked.

Well that wasn't entirely true. She danced with Stefan and Matt. For a few minutes she forgot about all the drama with Elena. The noticeable absence of Tyler never really went away nor did the thought that she kept expecting to see Klaus out of the corner of her eye each time Stefan twirled her around the dance floor.

She was confused and upset because she wanted Tyler to be there but some traitorous thoughts told her she wanted Klaus to be there too.

Caroline huffed, yanking at the pearl pins in her hair to loosen her waves for the after party. She ran her fingers through; the gentle pressure on her head comforting after her hair had been pinned up so tightly. The dress had been the perfect fit.

She tried to corner Rebekah at some point in the night, to thank her for the use of the dress but Elena had always been within arms distance of the other blonde. Caroline had no desire to approach Rebekah with Elena lurking so she gave up. She'd just thank Rebekah the next time she saw her at school when the dress stealing former best friend was nowhere to be seen.

A tick of noise against the door caused Caroline to spin around, halting her progress of unzipping her dress. Her hands froze as she saw Tyler arms crossed leaning against the doorframe of her bedroom.

Caroline's heart speed up for a second and then unceremoniously grinded to a halt. But she covered it up by smiling brightly, she was happy to see him however dangerous it was for him. She dropped her hands from their progress on her back, and ran over to him throwing her arms around him.

"You really shouldn't be here", she whispered.

Tyler just smiled, "It's prom, you love prom."

Caroline grinned, that was true. She did want the perfect night and Tyler there made the dance worth it. Something was missing though for the night to be perfect, but she pushed the thought out of her mind.

Tyler stepped back, "Let me help you."

Caroline nodded and turned around. Tyler grabbed the zipper on her back and slowly started where she stopped. Caroline closed her eyes trying to enjoying the sensation of his hands on her skin but her mind kept drifting to Klaus grabbing her arm the week before when she helped him with Silas and then again when Klaus came to visit to return her phone.

It really had been stupid. She still shook her head about throwing her phone at him. He had just made her so angry, she had been trying to tell him about Elena and he just laughed at her. She'd be lying though if she didn't admit that the sound of his laugh made her whole body tingle with some nervous excitement.

It's why she had thrown the phone in the first place. She wanted to dissipate all feeling of warmth that he continually sparked in her. So when he showed up at her door with her phone in his hand all those annoying flutters of excitement came rushing back at a thunderous pace.

She may have even let her fingers brush against his as she grabbed the phone from his outstretched hand and let her eyes linger on his to watch them grow darker at the contact. Her breath may have even caught in her throat at the sight, trying to do her best to stop her body from inching forward to Klaus' powerful masculine scent.

But she may have been powerless to stop herself, her body leaning forward towards his, her whole body on edge after the encounter at his house about almost admitting to him that she enjoyed talking to him. She may have been just an inch or two away from his lips, his breath tickling her skin and his eyes piercing her soul and she may have wanted nothing more than to taste his lips at that moment when the stupid phone in their hands went off.

She may have smirked at the curse that rolled off of Klaus' tongue as she begrudgingly answered the phone when she realized that it was Lacy from prom committee. She may have kept her eyes on Klaus the whole time she listened to Lacy crying over a mishap with the catering. Somehow the right number of plates they ordered turned into a much smaller amount of actually delivered.

The temperature around them may have skyrocketed as the friendly smile that had been on Klaus' face changed into something darker and more seductive. Caroline may have tried to focus on the word's being sobbed into her ear but may have failed horribly. It was only when Lacy said that she didn't know where they could find replacements did Caroline finally snap out of her fantasy that she was indulging in with Klaus.

She may have given Klaus a bright smile before dashing off to save prom from the ill managed hands of her committee. She may have done all of that the day before and for some reason that was all she could focus on as Tyler helped her out of her dress.

"There you go," he murmured and Caroline stepped out it hastily not wanting to look back at him, afraid that her face would betray the thoughts in her head. Tyler had other ideas though. He grabbed her arm and Caroline looked down at the arm and stiffened instantly.

It wasn't Tyler's hand that grabbed her arm. She looked intently at the hand on her arm, shocked out of her mind. The dark wasn't the dark tan of Tyler's skin, but paler, Klaus' hand. Her heart escalated rapidly trying to understand what was going on.

A faint warning bell screamed in alarm at the back of her mind as she turned around. It was Tyler's face and skin again. He cocked his head, "Everything alright Care? You're giving me a funny look. Did Klaus do something?"

Caroline shook her head before kissing him to eradicate all thoughts of Klaus. "No, I think I'm just tired that's all."

She grabbed the dress and slung it over her arm and proceeded to the closet. Her mind was racing as she placed the ivory dress back on its hook, pulling out the blush pink party dress and shimming into it. She knew she had seen Klaus' hand on her arm. She wasn't making that up, but it had been Tyler who was standing behind her.

Caroline grabbed the nude pumps from her rack and stepped into them. Something was going on, she just didn't know what. Trying to remain calm and aloof she continued to dress for the party. Walking over to the vanity to grab her brush and fix up her hair. He could see Tyler out of the corner of her mirror; he was spread out on her bed, looking up at the ceiling.

She began humming a song, as the brush lazily dragged through her hair. Caroline's insides though were not the lazy show her outside displayed. Her insides were twisting as her fear grew over what she had seen.

While trying to discreetly look at Tyler, Caroline went back to the thought of Klaus on her front porch the day before. It was her only plan; recreate what happened before she saw Klaus' hand. Maybe then she'd able to figure out what was happening. She let the flood of emotions come back as she remembered Klaus' lips and how closely she could see each strand of hair on his head.

Tyler's skin changed, becoming paler and Caroline watched his face shift into the profile of Klaus. Caroline paused in her humming before resuming not wanting to give away her discovery. Internally she was screaming, that was Silas on the bed-not Tyler and not Klaus.

It had to be Silas; he was only one person she knew with that type of power. Her mind raced through all the things she could do, knowing each them resulted in her being outnumbered, outmatched, and most likely dead.

She tried to remember where her phone was, if she could get a hold of Klaus, and then maybe she might have a chance. Only one problem, her phone was in the kitchen where she dropped it with her keys after she came into the house.

She groaned for real then, her body slumping over in defeat. They had never come up with their codeword either. If they had she could have at least texted it to Klaus hoping he would realize she was in trouble.

"Care, what's wrong?" Tyler jumped from the bed and approached her, kissing the soft spot of skin between her neck and shoulder. Uncontrollable fury raged in her, Silas just kissed her. She had kissed Silas, thinking it was Tyler. The thought made her sick, that she placed her lips on some creepy, perverted ancient immortal.

Spinning around, without thinking Caroline let her fist fly straight into Tyler's face. Tyler soared through the air and landed with a sickening crunch against the wall. He slid down the wall, drywall and specks of paint littering him.

Tyler scowled pulling himself up from the ground, "Well that was the fastest anyone figured who I was. Everyone else I had to tell them or give myself away. Bravo my dear."

"You're disgusting! Get out of here! I don't care what you want or what you're doing I'm not helping you!" Caroline growled.

Pure adrenalin was pumping in her; she was itching to put her fist into his face again. That and go wash her mouth out, she couldn't believe she actually kissed him.

Tyler laughed and Caroline snarled back at him. "Could you please change your face? That's gross!"

"Why? Would you prefer this face?" Silas asked morphing into Klaus. Caroline balked and with a rush of disgust blurred over and aimed to slug him again. But instead of meeting Silas' face, her fist collided with her wall, ramming straight through.

Caroline wretched her hand out and turned around. Silas was gone. She zoomed around the house but the witch was nowhere to be seen. Still pumped Caroline grabbed her phone and without thinking dialed Klaus.

The phone rang twice before he picked up the phone.

"Caroline?" he queried.

Caroline didn't give him the chance to say anything more, "I don't care what you are doing, just get to my house now."

The phone was clicked off before she could do so herself. It only took her returning to her room and beginning to pick up the pieces of drywall that crumbled away from the nice hole she created in the wall, before Klaus was beside her with a small gust of wind.

Caroline glanced up from her crouched position with pieces of wall in her hands to Klaus. She watched his face shift from concerned to annoyed when he saw she wasn't in danger.

"I'm not your clean up boy Caroline. I'm certain you can do that yourself." He snapped.

Caroline rolled her eyes. Why had she called him again?

"I'm perfectly capable of cleaning up my own messes. Thank you very much. Wouldn't this be beneath you anyway?" she snipped back, refusing to look at him.

She regretted calling him now. She called him in the heat of the moment, because that was all she wanted and now that the rational part of her mind was thinking again.

"What happened?" he tried again, rubbing his forehead.

Caroline continued picking up the pieces, wondering if she should answer him. She might as well though.

"I may have possibly punched Silas in the face." She answered with a shrug of her shoulders as nonchalantly as possible.

She stood up with an armful of broken wall and to walk to the door. Klaus stopped her and grabbed the load in her arms. Caroline didn't stop him.

He was grinning, "I would have enjoyed seeing that."

Caroline bit her lip and walked past him, brushing the dust off her dress. It was only then that she realized her hands were shaking. The high was finally starting to wear off and Caroline realized how drained she truly felt.

She grabbed the hidden bottle of bourbon from atop the one of the kitchen cupboards and pulled out two glasses. Her mom could yell at her later. She tried to focus on the pouring herself a glass but her hand shook too much.

Frustrated that she couldn't even pour a glass she tried to slam the bottle back down but Klaus' firm hand enclosed around her wrist. Caroline refused to look at him. Klaus simply grabbed the bottle with his other hand and while still holding onto her wrist poured both of them a drink.

Klaus finally let go of her wrist and held out the glass. Caroline accepted her drink in silence. She threw back the liquid in one gulp, the burn of alcohol anchoring her a bit more to reality.

Klaus held out the bottle for another round. Caroline shook her head. She was doing her best not to burst out and unload everything on Klaus but each moment they stood there side by side the stronger the urge to talk grew.

"Tonight sucked, my senior prom was ruined."

It burst out before she could stop herself; the ticking of the clock had grown too loud.

"It's just a dance Caroline," he countered.

"No, it's not," she replied.

She was too tired to argue with him. Suddenly that other drink sounded like a good idea. She grabbed the bottle and noticed her hands had stopped shaking. She didn't know if it was Klaus' presence or the alcohol that helped.

She hadn't looked Klaus straight in the eye since he had arrived. Too many thoughts and feelings were swirling around in her now and she was sure if she looked at him again that everything in her would come undone.

Caroline started working on the second glass of bourbon, slowly this time.

"Silas isn't going to go away is he?" she asked.

There was a low growl from Klaus that she could feel more than hear. She hadn't realized that they were standing against one another. Caroline finally noticed his warmth pressed against the side of her body and quietly relished in the peace it brought. Her whole body seemed to slow down and her fears about Silas ebbed away.

"Until he achieves his goal I have no doubt he will be an annoying blight on our lives," he answered after a minute.

Caroline sighed. So much for any good coming out of the night, she was hoping that at least Silas would leave them alone. It was too much to ask for one night to go right in Mystic Falls, especially prom night. Dances were a magnet for all kinds of supernatural trouble.

She had looked amazing though and felt like she was the hottest thing in the room. Rebekah had good taste in ball gowns. The ivory dress would fit right in with her dress that Klaus had given her. Caroline jolted at the thought.

The dress honestly seemed more Klaus' taste than Rebekah's. Rebekah's were much more girly, it was one of the reasons that Caroline had picked it in the first place. Plus, the dress had fit her so snugly compared to the rest. A shiver shot down her spine and she glanced sideways at Klaus.

He was caught up in the dredges at the bottom of his glass and paid no attention to her. Caroline raised a brow, but he had told her the dress belonged to Rebekah. Maybe he had been telling her the truth after all. Maybe Rebekah had just bought the dress but never wore it.

Caroline didn't know what to think anymore. Here they were promising to be friends but she thought about him more than she did about Tyler. Then she almost kissed him the day before. She flicked her tongue to wet her lips at thought of Klaus' breath tickling her face, his smell that clouded her over. Kissing Klaus…

She did want to but she couldn't.

Klaus finally looked at her from his glass. "I think it would be wise to have that code word now."

Caroline smirked and blurted the first word that came to her mind, "Pineapples."

She laughed outright at the stunned blank expression Klaus gave her. Klaus after a minute smirked back at her.

"We could always think about it tomorrow." Caroline tried after the last of her laughter finally started to die down.

Klaus nodded, placing the bottle of bourbon back in its hiding place. Caroline watched him pull out a pen and grab a scrap of paper from the counter. He scribbled something on it and handed it to Caroline.

"When I go, call the number. They'll know what to do."

It was all he told as way of explanation. Caroline frowned at it turning back to Klaus whose face was tight and cheeks clenched. She glared at him, trying to understand why he was so upset all of sudden.

"It's Tyler."

She didn't know whether or not to be upset or excited with him. It meant that he had known the entire time where Tyler was and never told her. At the same time he hadn't killed him and he had just given her a number to get a hold of him. It was so confusing, she wanted to thank him and slap him at the same time.

She opted for another idea instead. "Call me when you think of a code word."

Klaus nodded and then was gone. Caroline stared at the number in her hand and then back to the place where Klaus had been standing. She groaned and leaned over the counter to rest her head in her hands.

Strange fluttering feelings beat away, sparks of emotion she tried to hide from everyone peaking through. If she was right in her hunch about the dress and now the number in her hand, Klaus was doing things that made her question the carefully built defenses she placed up to barrier herself against him.

Ever since they decided last week to be friends, her defenses were continually being called into question. It had been too easy to talk to him, too easy to call him, and too easy let her body almost surrender to him.

The number stared at her from the paper, the prospect of talking to Tyler again. Caroline shook her head and couldn't tell if her excitement was for Tyler or knowing what Klaus had done for her.

One thing was certain; they were never going to be just friends. There was too much there.

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_There you have it. Sorry it took so long for to me to update. I meant to have this story finished before 4x19 premiered. Anyway, thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed it. _


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